Jet engine container



IN VEN TOR.

2 SHEETSSHEET l yn/mun flE/VT. Wm

FTTOENEY W. W. HIGBEE JET ENGINE CONTAINER Oct. 14, 1952 Filed Nov. 14, 1951 W- W. HIGBEE JET ENGINE CONTAINER Oct. 14, 1952 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed Nov. 14, 1951 Patented Oct. 14, 1952 UNITED sra'rss rarest orrics JET ENGINE C DNTAINER William W. Higbee, Xenia, fihio Application November 14, 1951, Serial No. 256,355

(01. 206-46) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

3 Claims.

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention. described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the United States Government for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty. I This invention relates to a jet engine container suitable for supporting and protecting the engine while in transit or storage or at any time prior to installation on the aircraft.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a cylindrical engine container capable of being made substantially air-tight and having means therein to resiliently mount an engine, particularly one including two or more mounting elements projecting laterally from opposite sides, and wherein the mounting means includes longitudinal engine bearing beams at opposite sides of the container carried on resilient devices fixed to the container wall and wherein the opposite beams are rigidly connected together by curved beam connectors extending around the engine but spaced at all points from the engine which is rigidly fixed to the engine bearing beams.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cylindrical engine container comprising a pair of similar upper and lower shells meeting along a plane including the longitudinal axis of the cylinder and having a compressible gasket at their meeting edges to exclude air and moisture from the container, and wherein means are provided in the container and attached to the lower shell to resiliently mount an engine, and wherein the mounting means include longitudinal engine bearing beams at opposite sides of the container carried on resilient devices fixed to the lower shell wall and wherein the opposite beams are rigidly connected together by curved beam connectors extending around the inside of the lower shell and spaced therefrom and wherein longitudinally extending struts extend between the curved beam connectors and are rigidly connected thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide an engine container including an improved engine supporting structure mounted within the container and secured to the walls thereof independently of a removable cover for the container.

The above and other objects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation view partly in section of the present jet engine container.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation view of the container.

Figs. 3, 4, and 6 are transverse cross sections taken on lines 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively of Fig. 1.

Considering now the principal view (Fig. 1) of the drawings, the engine container comprises a closed-end cylinder supported by a pair of floor contacting skids or rails. Means inside the container-are adapted to resiliently support a horizontally disposed jet engine (not shown). Considering the drawings more specifically it will be seen that the container l is made of two similar semi-cylindrical shells 2 and 3. The lower shell 2 comprises a pre-shaped semi-cylindrical steel sheet welded along lines 4 and 5 to conxex semicircular end plates 6 and 1 including narrow marginal flanges integral therewith. Similarly the upper shell 3 comprises a pre-shaped steel sheet welded along lines 8 and 9 to semi-circular end plates Ill and II including marginal flanges extending'into welded connection with the curved steel sheet extending lengthwise of the container and half-way around the container. In order to join the two shells 2 and 3 and exclude atmosphere therefrom the confronting edge portions carry angle irons l2 and i3 welded thereto (see Fig. 6), and also having a rubber or other kind of compressible gasket it between the superimposed fianges i5 and E6 of the angle irons. A series of threaded fasteners ll passing through the confronting flanges i5 and I6 and gasket I l extend all the way around the container and serve as the only connecting means between thelower shell 2 and the upper shell 3. Extendingaround the outside surface of each shell and welded thereto and to the longitudinal angle irons l2 and [3 are curved angle irons I8, [9, 20 and H which stiffen the shells. Near the top of the upper shell 3 the angle irons 2!] and 2| are joined by a pair of longitudinal angle irons 22 and 253 welded securely in place. A pair of suspension rings 25 and 25 on the arch-like angle irons 2G and Z! serve to attach a lifting sling when the container is to be moved by a derrick or crane. Several cradle-dike brackets. as at 26, are welded to the lower shell 2 and are also bolted onto a pair of spaced parallel longitudinal skids 21 which maybe made of heavy timbers or of any other suitable material. The interior of the lower shell 2 is provided with curved stiiiening plates 28, 29, 3B and 3H welded along their marginal edges. The principal stiiieners 28 to 30 are semi-circular in end elevation and are made of sheet steel having a thickness equal to that of the container walls.

' Inside the container there is provided an engine supporting assembly forming the principal subject matter of the present invention. At opposite upwardly sloping sides of the shell stifieners 28 to 3B are pairs of inverted U-shaped brackets 32,

33 and 34 welded thereon and as shown in Fig. 3 the upper horizontal bight portions thereof are apertured to receive rubber-cushioned shock absorbing supports 35. Each support 35 includes lower and upper metal attaching flanges 36 and 57 having their inner edge portions embedded in spaced rubber blocks or cushions 38 and 39. The lower flanges 36 are bolted onto the respective brackets 32, 33 and 34 and the upper flanges 31 are bolted onto the c-shaped upper brackets 40, which total six in number. Welded on top of the brackets 40 are the engine bearers 4| and 42- extending in spaced parallel relation closetothecontainer walls at the parting line of the shells 2 and 3. As seen in Fig. 3 these beams orbearers are of box section but any one of numerous crosssectional shapes may be employed.

The shock absorbing mounts 35 may be of any standard construction but in. general the:

mounts 35 include rubber blocks 38 and 39 of circular cross section each havinga metal. core therein through which passes acentra-l draw bolt 43'. The bolt whichalso-passes through a spacer element 44- carries lower and upper cushion plates 45 and: 46 which act to limit the elastic deformation of the rubber blocks 38' and. 39 under stress and shock. This feature acts as a stabilizing influence to prevent excessive. movement of the engine bearers. ill and 42 The engine-bearers 4t and 42- areccnnected by a pair of semi-circularrigi'diiying members and 48.- welded' to theibearersafter being notchedout (see Fig. The members 41 31161.48? are: also joined by longitudinal bars 49 to further strengthen the structure. The twoengine bearers being joined. together, they will tend to be displacedfrom their neutral position inthe. same direction and at the same: time. Therefore, the elements. attaching the engine to. theengine. bearersi will not be ruptured as readily aswould be the:case if each bearer was acting independently.

Each engine bearer carriestwo spaced engine attaching assemblies 50 and 5t, whichare shown in. transverse cross section in Fig. 4. The assembly 50. receives the main engine mounting trunnion. on. each: sideof the engine and. located so as: to' approximately intersect. thecenter of gravity of: the engine. The other assembly 5| on: each. of thespaced' engine bearers receives. a secondary enginef mounting bearer. located: towardthe forward. end of. the engineand. acting to prevent. rotation of the-engine. about the main trunnions. The trunnion receiving. assemblies eachcomprises a. pair of spaced vertical plates 52 and 53 cutout to fit around three sides of the: engine. bearers and be welded thereto. These. side plates are further joined togetherby a. top plate 54 bolted down to the" engine'bearer by four bolts 55. The top plate 54 should be welded directly' to each side plate 52 and 53; Between the side. plates at the forward. lower portion is a trunnion support 56'weld'e'dor otherwise secured to' the side plates. The support 56 is' hollowed'ioutiatZ-FI to receive the'trunnion and a. pair' of. threaded studs 58' project upwardly to serve as. fasteners for a trunnion cap 59having a: hollowed" out underside as at 50 to fit nicely over the engine carried trunnion. The principal engine attaching assembly 50 at each side ofthe container carries a greater portion of the engine loadthan the secondary assembly 5!, because the' main assemblyis near a transverse axis passing through the center of gravity. Therefore;theprincipaltrunnion'is madeiheavie'r,

4 as shown by the relatively larger opening therefor in the trunnion receiving support 56.

As may be seen. the engine is supported by two trunnions on each side at diametrically-opposite points. Thus, if the engine bearing beam 41 at one side tilted slightly in one direction of relative rotation about its center as the rubbercushioned supports flexed and the engine bearing beam 42 at the other side tilted slightly in the other direction about its center, as for instance in rough handling of the container, the resulting strain would probably break off one of the engine' carried trunnions were it not for the beam connecting members 41 and 43. These connecting members eliminate or minimize the random independent movement of the engine bearing beams under shock, impact or careless handling of the container. Under movement, the engine changesfrom' a dead weight to a live weight and failure to couple the spaced engine bearing beams will permit independentaction of the beams with likelihood of breakage or deformation of the trunnion supports, trunnions and trunnion mounts on the engine casing. While I have shown only one form of rigidifying the frame extending from one beam 41 to the other beam 42, it will be understood that the connecting means may take other physical forms so long as it acts to keep the opposite beams moving in the same direction at the same time under shock and impact. It will be understood also that various resilient devices may be used to mount the enginebearing beams-inside the container, for instance springs, hydraulicshock absorbers or rubber cushioned elements may be used interchangeably. The necessity for preventing failure of theengine mounting assembly will be clear, since any failure would probably damage the engine itself oncethe mounting assembly failed at one point and theengine actually came loose-from its mounting.

The embodiment of the invention herein shown and described is to beregarded as illustrative only and it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible of variations, modifications and changes within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shipping container for a jet engine comprising, a. lower semi-cylindrical shell and an upper semi-cylindrical shell each having semicircular end walls and adapted to meet along a longitudinally extendingmedialplane to form aclosed cylindrical container, means along the confronting edges of said shells to connect the upper shell to the lower shell, means attached to the lower shell to serve as container-supporting-and floor-contacting elements, bracket means onopposite sides of said lower shell and rigidly attached thereto on the inside surface, resilient supporting elements mounted on said brackets, a pair of engine bearing beams at opposite sides of said-lower shell and supported by said resilient supporting. elements, curved bars connecting said pair of beams and having end portions rigidly connected to said beams. and a plurality of trunnion supporting. devices on each of said beams spaced apart longitudinally thereof and adapted to removably retain a plurality'of laterally projecting trunnions fixed on said jet engine at opposite sides thereof.

2. A shipping container for a jet engine comprising, a lower semi-cylindrical shell and an upper semi-cylindrical shell each having semicircular end' walls andadapted-to' meet along a longitudinally extending medial plane to form a closed cylindrical container, means along the confronting edges of said shells to connect the upper shell to the lower shell, skid means attached to the underside of the lower shell to support the container above a floor, a plurality of bracket means on opposite sides of said lower shell and rigidly attached thereto on the inside surface, resilient supporting elements mounted on said brackets, a pair of similar parallel engine bearing beams at opposite sides of said lower shell and supported by said resilient supporting elements, curved bridging bars connecting said pair of beams and being in closely spaced relation with respect to the semi-cylindrical walls of said lower shell, a plurality of longitudinally extending struts rigidly connected between said bridging bars, and a plurality of trunnion supporting devices on each of said beams spaced apart longitudinally thereof and adapted to removably retain a plurality of laterally projecting trunnions fixed on said jet engine at opposite sides thereof.

3. A shipping container for a jet engine comprising, a lower semi-cylindrical shell and an upper semi-cylindrical shell each having semicircular end walls and adapted to meet along a longitudinally extending medial plane to form a closed cylindrical container, means along the confronting edges of said shells to connect the upper shell to the lower shell, means attached to the lower shell to support the container above a floor, at least two curved plates mounted around the inside surface of said lower shell to reinforce the walls thereof, bracket means on the opposite sides of said lower shell and rigidly attached at opposite end portions of said curved plates, re-

silient supporting elements mounted on said brackets, a pair of engine bearing beams at opposite sides of said lower shell and supported by said resilient supporting elements, curved bars connecting said pair of beams and having end portions rigidly connected to said beams, and a plurality of trunnion supporting devices on each of said beams spaced apart longitudinally thereof and adapted to removably retain a plurality of laterally projecting trunnions fixed on said jet engine at opposite sides thereof.

4. A shipping container for a jet engine comprising, a lower shell and an upper shell adapted to meet along their peripheral edges to form a closed container, means along the confronting edges of said shells to connect the upper shell to the lower shell, a plurality of bracket means on opposite sides of said lower shell and rigidly attached thereto on the inside surface, resilient supporting elements mounted on said brackets and including rubber cushioning blocks, a pair of similar parallel engine bearing beams at opposite sides of said lower shell and supported by said resilient supporting elements, curved bridging bars connecting said pair of beams and being in spaced relation with respect to the walls of said lower shell, bracing structs connected between said bridging bars, and a plurality of engine supporting brackets on each of said beams spaced apart longitudinally thereof and adapted to removably retain a plurality of projecting elements fixed on said engine at opposite sides thereof.

WILLIAM W. HIGBEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,161,402 Arutunoff June 6, 1939 2,549,907 Johansson Apr. 24, 1951 

